This invention relates generally to apparatus and processes for trimming shoe soles, and more particularly to a fully automated apparatus and process for trimming shoe soles.
Prior to the present invention, leather shoe soles were typically trimmed by hand on a machine having a number of high-speed rotatable cutters. One roughening cutter was provided to remove excess leather from the sole while another finer cutter trimmed a rubber heel of the shoe to its final configuration. In many applications, a third cutter was provided for bevelling upper and lower edges of the leather sole. This trimming procedure required many skilled workers in order to maintain production for each assembly line for producing shoes.
The foregoing leather sole trimming procedure has the disadvantage of requiring workers to perform the dangerous task of manipulating the shoe close to the high speed cutter (rotating at approximately 10,000 RPM). It also has the disadvantage of requiring the worker to consistently perform the repetitive motions of trimming the outline of the sole with precision for producing high quality shoes. Often, soles of shoes having the same style and size varied from shoe to shoe.
There is presently a need for an apparatus for trimming a leather sole of a shoe which reduces the exposure of workers to the dangerous cutters and which produces shoes having consistently trimmed soles.
Accordingly, among the several objects of the present invention are the provision of an apparatus for trimming a sole of a shoe which trims the leather sole to a near perfect outline for the particular size of shoe; the provision of such an apparatus which substantially eliminates the dangerous task of manually trimming the sole of the shoe with high-speed cutters; the provision of such an apparatus which machines high quality leather soles in a time-efficient manner; the provision of such an apparatus which will save approximately six workers per assembly line; and the provision of such an apparatus which is easy to operate and cost-efficient to use.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a method of trimming a sole of a shoe which performs a roughening cut, a finer trimming cut and a bevelling cut all in one station in a time saving manner.
In general, an apparatus for trimming a sole of a shoe having a shoe upper with the sole being attached to the shoe upper comprises a support structure and a shoe carriage mounted on the support structure. The shoe carriage is constructed and arranged for mounting a shoe thereon and is movable along x and z axes. A sensing station is mounted on the support structure, the sensing station comprising means for detecting the exact outline of the shoe upper with respect to the sole. A cutting station is mounted on the support structure for trimming the sole of the shoe with a first cutter movable along a y axis. Means controls the movement of the carriage between a starting position, the sensing station, the cutting station and back to the starting position and controls the operation and movement of the first cutter for trimming the sole of the shoe when the shoe is in the cutting station.
A process for trimming a sole of a shoe having a shoe upper with the sole being attached to the shoe upper comprises the steps of: (a) mounting a shoe on a shoe carriage of an apparatus having at least three directions of movement along an x axis, a y axis and a z axis, the shoe carriage being in a starting position and movable along the x and z axes; (b) moving the shoe carriage along the x axis to a sensing station; (c) detecting the exact outline of the shoe upper with respect to the sole; (d) determining a sole trimming pattern based on the outline of the shoe upper with respect to the sole as detected by the sensing station; (e) moving the shoe carriage along the x axis to a cutting station for trimming the sole of the shoe with a first cutter along the sole trimming pattern, the first cutter being movable along the y axis and the shoe carriage being movable along the x and z axes for trimming the sole of the shoe; and (f) moving the shoe carriage back to its starting position.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.